Yaya Double TroubleVenue: St James’ Park. Date: Sun 06th May 2012. Kick-Off: 1:30pm. Referee: Howard Webb.
On a day that United unveiled a statue of the late great Sir Bobby Robson, Manchester City were in town desperate for a win to keep their title hopes alive.
United were also in need of a win to keep our Champions League aspirations going, so the scene was set for a titanic battle between two of the best teams in the English Premier League, with both sets of fans able to point to players capable of winning the game.
There was a pre-match scare with Tim Krul having a hand injury but relief when the teams were announced and Krul’s name was there. Not many United fans would have wanted to go into this game without our Dutch keeper, who Alan Pardew reckons has won us at least 12 points this season on his own.
First Half
Cheick Tiote started the game with 8 stitches in his head and it was a bit of a concern early on when he overhit his first couple of passes. Was he affected by the head wound or maybe he’d eaten too many shredded wheat. Anyway the good news is that he settled down as the match went on. The first six minutes were cat and mouse with the only highlight being Cabaye’s boot unintentionally colliding with Barry’s face – sadly for Barry, the event didn’t improve his looks. (more…)
Please Blow The WhistleVenue: D.W. Stadium, Wigan. Date: Saturday, 28th April, 2012. Kick-Off: 3.00pm. Referee: Mike Dean.
United went into this game with confidence sky high on the back of six straight wins, sitting fourth in the table and chasing an unexpected place in next season’s European Champions League.
Wigan, although one of the teams fighting relegation, had a good recent record too, having won 3 of their last 4 games beating Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, although slipping up in their last game with a 2-1 defeat at Fulham.
This was the first of our final 4 “cup finals” and the 4500 United fans took over one end of the ground to make sure the team felt right at home in a vital away game. It was 4th top v 4th bottom with United having “momentum”. What could possibly go wrong? Surely even the ominous pre-match news that top tipster Mark “I always get them wrong” Lawrenson had tipped us to win couldn’t stop the Newcastle steamroller? (more…)
Sir Bobby Beside His Ipswich StatueNewcastle United have announced that a statue of Sir Bobby Robson is to be unveiled before the final home game of the season on 6th May. The statue will be nine and a half feet high and cast in bronze. It will be situated at the south west corner of St James’ Park.
Ipswich Town, of course, have had a statue of Sir Bobby outside their ground for many years – a much younger Sir Bobby it has to be said. I’ve had my photo taken standing beside that one, and will be completing the set when United’s new statue is in place!
The club’s managing director Derek Llambias told the club’s official website:
“We’re delighted to be able to honour Sir Bobby Robson with this lasting tribute.
“He was a great man and ambassador for this football club and for the city. He achieved great success during his time as manager of Newcastle United and this statue is a fitting way for the club to remember him.”
Lady Elsie Robson added:
“It’s very fitting that there will be a tribute to Bob outside Newcastle United’s ground. This is where his love of football began.”(more…)
The Alnwick branch of the Newcastle Building Society, has come up with a unique way of supporting the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. You can now open a Sir Bobby Robson Foundation ISA. This is a savings account which will provide an additional cash donation to the charity, for every pound invested by customers.
The Newcastle Building Society has introduced the partnership to mark the Foundation’s fourth anniversary.
“ISA” is short for Individual Savings Account which is a financial product available to residents of the United Kingdom. It is designed for the purpose of investment and savings with a favourable tax status.
Sir Bobby’s widow, Lady Elsie, is delighted about it. She said:
“It was a great pleasure to help launch this new account and we’re grateful to the Newcastle for thinking of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.”
“It’s a very creative way of helping the charity and we will ensure every penny donated is spent wisely.”
“We’ve just celebrated the Foundation’s fourth anniversary and receiving support from an organisation with a heritage like the Newcastle Building Society is a marvellous present. My husband would have been as proud as punch with this fitting gesture.”(more…)
Bombs Away!Venue: St James’ Park, NE1. Date: Sat, 21st April, 2012. Kick-Off: 3pm. Referee: Andre Marriner (Sheldon, West Midlands). UK TV: None.
In the middle of March, with 10 league games left to play, Alan Pardew stated that winning five of them would just about get the club into Europe next season. He was right – but even he didn’t expect the team to win those games straight off! But they did. Now, with 5 games still left to play, United find themselves on the threshold of qualification for the Europa League, but because of those 5 straight wins, they are now also gunning for a place in the Champions League!
United’s rise to prominence this season has not only surprised most of their fans, it has also made quite a few media pundits look a bit foolish. Let’s just pause and savour that for a moment – as it doesn’t happen very often where we are concerned. First, Ladies and Gentlemen I give you every Newcastle United fan’s favourite pundit Mark Lawrenson. As we all know, Mark never fails to stick the knife into United and invariably predicts that we will lose, whoever we are playing. Mark’s nomination for “daftest bollocks uttered by a pundit” this season is “Newcastle won’t finish in the top six”. (more…)
